What I got wrong about expertise (and what actually matters)

I disappeared for a bit.

Not intentionally. But enough that I owe you a real update.

Because a lot has changed...

And at the same time, nothing has changed at all.

Let me explain.

Earlier this year, I accidentally found my niche.

I'd been obsessed with AI for about a year at that point.

• Playing with every tool
• Testing every workflow
• Going deep on patterns

Then I started analyzing transcripts from my own consulting sessions.

And I saw something I couldn't unsee...

Hidden in those conversations were frameworks I'd been using for years without ever articulating them. Decision matrices running in the background. Patterns I executed flawlessly but couldn't explain.

That's when I discovered what I now call the Cognitive Fingerprint™.

The invisible expertise operating from your unconscious competence.

And here's what I've learned since then:

Discovering your Cognitive Fingerprint isn't just about building a better offer or charging more.

It's about creating a moat that AI can't cross.

Because here's the thing...

Everyone is using the same AI tools now. Reading the same articles. Following the same people. Pulling from the same information.

It's become a sea of sameness (is that a word?)

Generic frameworks. Borrowed language. Indistinguishable positioning.

But nobody can tell YOUR stories the way you tell them.

Nobody thinks exactly like you think.

Nobody has your specific decision matrix for evaluating problems.

The problem is you can't see it because it's operating from your unconscious competence.

I've now run this extraction process with coaches, consultants, lawyers, academics, engineers...even an Archbishop.

(That last one was particularly interesting...)

And every single time, the same pattern emerges:

They freeze when asked what makes them different.

Then 90 minutes later, they're staring at frameworks they've been running for 10+ years and never consciously noticed.

Patterns that save their clients months of wasted effort.

Decision systems that would take someone else years to develop.

That's their moat.

(I'm including my complete Cognitive Fingerprint Discovery Protocol at the end of this email so you can try it yourself...)

So what's changed?

1. I'm co-writing Jay Abraham's AI newsletter now

(jAI Newsletter if you want to check it out)

Working with one of the greatest strategic minds alive has been...humbling. In the best way.

2. I partnered with Michael Simmons, Zain Hassaib, and Tam Nguyen

We just wrapped Class 3 of our Invisible Expertise workshop series.

Teaching the extraction methodology to a whole new audience. Getting to see the "holy sh*t" moments when people discover patterns they've been running for years.

(Here's the recording from Class 2 if you want to see what I mean)

3. I built a full Vibe Coding curriculum

This is where it gets fun...

Because once you extract your invisible expertise, you need to DEMONSTRATE it.

Not with PDFs that get forgotten or slide decks that sit in someone's downloads folder.

With actual working tools.

I'm running a Vibe Coding Incubator now where we take people from zero idea to full working app.

What makes it different:

• 4 levels of idea generation (no matter where you're starting)
• 3 criteria for validating if an idea is actually valuable (with prompts)
• A bot that does the heavy lifting with Lovable - produces full project plans and expert-level prompts for design/UX

But here's the key...

With everyone being able to build apps now to difference will be in the OUTPUTS. (outputs = domain knowledge + prompts)

Otherwise you're just building generic tools like everyone else.

When you know your unique patterns, your tools become extensions of your expertise. They demonstrate what makes you different before you ever get on a sales call.

Look, I know this email is all over the place.

(welcome to my brain...)

But I wanted to reconnect and let you know where things are at.

The core mission hasn't changed:

Help people see what they can't see about themselves. Extract the invisible. Make the unconscious conscious. Build systems around patterns they've been running for years.

That's still the work.

Now we're just getting better at it and building cooler stuff with it.

More to come soon.

But for now...just wanted to say hi again.

P.S. If any of this resonated, hit reply and let me know what you're working on. I actually read every response. And I'm always curious what patterns you're running that you can't see yet.

P.P.S. While I'll still send updates here, most of my good stuff is moving over to Substack. You'll get a confirmation email over there, but won't hurt my feelings at all if it's not for you. I made the opt-out super easy to spot. No hard feelings either way.

Your Cognitive Fingerprint Discovery Protocol

Want to discover your own invisible expertise? Here's the exact system I use.

Grab any transcript from a client call, coaching session, or workshop where you're actually working (not just describing what you do). Then use this prompt:

PROMPT (COPY PASTE THIS ENTIRE THING)


You are an expertise pattern analyst specializing in identifying unconscious competence. Your job is to find the sophisticated patterns that experts execute automatically but can't articulate themselves.

​

I'm analyzing my own expertise to discover frameworks I use unconsciously. This transcript captures me actually working, not describing what I do. Reveal patterns I can't see in myself.

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[PASTE YOUR TRANSCRIPT HERE]
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SPEAKER IDENTIFICATION:
- [YOUR NAME/ROLE]: This is me (the expert being analyzed)
- [CLIENT/OTHER NAME]: This is the other person/people
​
If speakers aren't clearly labeled, use timestamps and context to identify who is speaking. When uncertain, note: [SPEAKER UNCLEAR] and continue analysis.

​

Find 3-5 patterns that appear repeatedly in how I work. Focus on:
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- **Decision patterns:** When I choose one approach over another
- **Diagnostic patterns:** How I figure out what's really going on
- **Reframing patterns:** How I shift the way problems are viewed
- **Sequencing patterns:** What I address first vs. later and why
- **Signature moves:** Unique things I do that aren't standard practice
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For each pattern you find:
1. Give it a memorable name
2. Describe what I actually do
3. Show me 2-3 specific moments from the transcript as evidence
4. Explain why this matters (the value it creates)
​
Then identify which 1-2 patterns have the most potential to become signature methodologies or premium frameworks.

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## PATTERNS DISCOVERED
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[For each pattern, include: Name, Description, Evidence quotes, Why it matters]
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## HIGHEST-VALUE PATTERNS
[The 1-2 with most framework potential]
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## CUSTOM QUESTIONS FOR DEEPER EXTRACTION
Based on what I found, ask me these 3 questions in this same chat to extract even more:
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1. [Question about your most valuable pattern]
2. [Question exploring variations in your approach]
3. [Question uncovering the deeper logic behind your methods]

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- Only include PATTERNS (appears multiple times), not one-off behaviors
- Use specific evidence from transcript, not generic observations
- Focus on what makes this expert's approach DIFFERENT
- Look for unconscious decision-making, not just actions

​
Begin analysis now.

The Discovery Process:

1. Run the extraction - Paste any transcript where you're actually working
2. Read the patterns - Circle the ones that make you go "I DO always do that"
3. Answer the custom questions - This reveals the complete methodology
4. Validate with the 3-Example Test - Can you find this pattern in 3 different client situations?

In 30 minutes, you'll discover frameworks you've been running for years but never consciously noticed.

That's your moat.

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Check out my SubStack to find the...

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